FreeСХІД.ua #5 What is profiling, Ptakha from Lugansk, and 12 new books about Donbas

Hello, friends! A little over two weeks ago we started our digest – and now we are on our fifth issue. If you read us for the first time we would like to inform you that our digest is published twice a week. On Thursdays and Sundays you can read us on Facebook at Free Donbas page, on Telegram or you can subscribe for our e-newsletter by leaving your e-mail right here in the comments or by sending us private message.

#FreeLugansk

Is it possible to build a career path on temporarily occupied and uncontrolled territories? Woman from Lugansk talks about salary scale on uncontrolled territories in Lugansk region.

Average salary of so-called public servants in occupied Lugansk equals to UAH 3,5 thsd a month (nominated in Russian rubles, of course), and officials often receive orders to work overtime, which they cannot refuse. In the so-called military forces private payment is comparatively higher– monthly paycheck starts with UAH 7 thsd, but there is the risk to exchange this money for own life and health.  

Those who prosper in Lugansk originated own business on smuggling essential goods from “the outside world”. However, this kind of entrepreneurship remains risky.

#FreeZone

“Donetsk and Lugansk residents, please, do not disturb!” Familiar phrase?

Regional profiling –new specific term referring to refusal of real estate agents and property owners to rent apartments to residents of definite regions. Internally displaced persons (IDP) suffer most from such kind of discrimination in Ukraine. 

What is an origin of this stereotype? Obviously, there are different types of characters among IDP. Surprisingly it turns out that most realtors social media groups contain similar anonymous stories about “fraudsters from Donbas” originally shared from fake accounts. RadioLiberty has conducted a mini-investigation of the phenomena.   

What to do? Deliberate promotion of negative stereotypes is common and such “media facts” tend to live long. Unfortunately many agents and owners lack of confidence in IDP. Thus, the best advice is to be patient and to make it clear that not all “the true stories about bad displaced persons” are based on real facts.

#FreeNews

President Petro Poroshenko signed the law on eliminating previous legitimate restrictions in crediting of small and medium-sized business located on government-controlled areas of Donbas. The law provides for restoring legal mechanism of securing mortgages by property units.

Cable problem causes serious malfunctions in wired-internet connection on occupied territories. Social media users inform about damage of backbone cable passing from Russia. It is not clear how much time it takes to fix the problem. Locals are afraid that wire-internet will share the fate on Vodafone mobile operator.

Giorgio Bianchi an Italian photographer published his new photos of Donbass Arena stadium in occupied Donetsk. The authorities of self-proclaimed DPR (territories of Donetsk region occupied by Russians – ed.) nationalized the arena a year ago, but still the stadium stays locked for visitors.

The mobile ATM of Oschadbank will serve clients in frontline zone on March 19-23. Click link to see the schedule

#FreeLaw

“12 days are enough!” Activists initiate campaign on securing the voting rights of internally displaced persons during local elections. MPs have registered in the parliament agenda The Draft Law #6240 on Amendment of Some Laws of Ukraine (concerning the voting rights of internally displaced persons and other internal mobile groups of citizens) but there are no news on further legal procedures regarding the draft since then. Social activists have started #12ДнівВистачить campaign in Facebook to attract attention to the problem.

Internally displaced persons are going to conduct a picket “Invisible Electorate” next to Verkhovna Rada on March 19.

Why is this important? Internally displaced persons still have undetermined legal status even after 4 years of the beginning the conflict on Donbass have passed. The right to vote is not just about participation in elections but mainly deals with self-identification as the full nationals of the state.

#FreePEOPLE

Andriy Berzinsh, IT person

“I would like to use more colorful language, so I could speak like people who make funny cartoon translations, so when I talk people feel that this is my own language. Many of those who live in Ukraine and understand the Ukrainian language do not speak it. They think it is difficult, it takes a lot of time and effort. But I want to set an example – it is possible”, - shares his thoughts IT guy from Pervomaisk (Lugansk region). Andriy lived in Saint-Petersburg for 12 years but after the war started he decided to return to Ukraine.

Why do people switch language and start speaking Ukrainian? How do they learn the language in often Russian-speaking environment? Look for  real stories in «The Village».

Kateryna PTAKHA, photographer

The life of this delicate woman was not easy. First, her son got scary diagnosis – autism.  Than the war came to her native Lugansk, followed by break up with her husband, who stayed at the occupied territories, while Kateryna and her son moved to Lviv.

She works as a photographer under alias PTAHA (Ukrainian word for a bird - ed.) and participates in social projects that support special kids. In her interview to periodical “Zerkalo nedeli” Kateryna shares her experience.

- I often take him with me to photo sessions and meetings. I do it not just because I am happy when he is next to me. It is important for Vladik’s socialization. Sometimes he can just shut down and he won’t see or hear anyone; and he feels fine. But this happens way too often, especially after he witnessed military action and shootings. So I decided I needed to do something. We need our kids to get involved in social activity. They should also understand: right, I am different, special, but there is a society I live in and I have to tell this society – I am the way I am, so, please accept me.

In the East of Ukraine most moms shut away from community. It is easier for them to keep silence and to hide their own child from people rather than openly admit they are special. Lviv taught me not to be ashamed of my son.

#FreeBusiness

The Nesvits, entrepreneurs

Grygoriy Nesvit and his wife Valentyna produce dairy products in Ryabtsevo village in Lugansk region. The family invested UAH 60 thsd in their business, Grigoriy said. Average profit equals to UAH 35 thsd a month. The entrepreneurs plan to purchase a cheese-making machine and upgrade automation.

The Bryukhovets, entrepreneur farmers

The Bryukhovets moved from Donetsk to Myrnograd where they had started agricultural business in 2014. The family breeds pigs, rabbits, coypus, poultry at own farm. At present, the Bryukhovets finalizes the launch of a production line. They have completed the workshop designed in such a way that a customer can easily watch the process of making dumplings, pancakes and cutlets.    

By the way, internally displaced persons can apply for EUR 2500 on promoting their business. An applicant can register as a self-employed or a micro-enterprise in the project initiated in Kyiv and Kyiv region.

The initiators invite internally displaced persons from Donetsk and Lugansk regions and Crimea to take part in the project.

#FreeLIBRARY

Mariupol is getting ready for traditional international festival – book fare - that will take place April 14 and 15 at a sporting center SK “Ilchivets”. A number of famous Ukrainian writers, public personas and artists are visiting the event.

To mark the book fare we picked 12 books about Donbas, about war and people of the East of Ukraine published in recent years – 2014-2017.

1)  “Transformation of the East of Ukraine”. Volunteers of Kyiv public organization OO “Metamisto” for several months traveled the East of Ukraine, and published their experience in form of collection of essays, stories and articles.

2)  «Boarding home», Sergiy Zhadan. The protagonist is a teacher from Debaltsevo who gets caught in the middle of military action at Donbas.

3)  The Anthology of Ukrainian writers of Donbas “Poroda” (Ukrainian word with double meaning “breed” and “rock” – ed.) compiled by Stanislav Fedorchuk.  The collection presents poetry, prose and drama by 63 authors from the East of Ukraine. The idea was to showcase different generations of the regional literature, different voices – some of them openly anti-Soviet. The authors fall into three categories: classical Ukrainian writers, contemporary artists and foreigners writing about Donbas – though the letter category is presented by only 3 authors.

4)  «Infantry», Martin Brest. The book tells about the war in the East of Ukraine from the point of view of its real participant. The author born in Horlivka was a sergeant at 410 Mechanized brigade and later at 72 Special mechanized brigade, with call sign “Martin Brest”. He tells about 9 month at frontline in a frank, open, ironical and angry manner.

5)  «Donbas Apricots», Liubov Yakymchuk. It is the latest poetry series by Liubov named “Decay” - about Anti-terrorist operation, current situation in Ukraine and Donbas.

6)  "Longer Days", Volodymyr Rafeienko. Duo-logy “Longer Days” consists of two parts .The first one is the body of the novel and the second is collection of short stories written by one of the protagonists. The novel part of the book is a tale of war. The stories, on the contrary, use realism as a basic style.

Rafeienko with ease connects what seems to be un-connectable, uses bold rhetorical devises and generously uses allusions, quotes and rephrases.

7) “War from the first days”, Inna Zolotuhina. Story and interview collection by war correspondent tells about the beginning of war at Donbas. The book deals with major events starting with annexation of Crimea up until the battles for the Donetsk airport.

8) “Artist of War” and “Three Hours with no War”, Maksym Butchenko

Former miner from Lugansk, who now works as a correspondent for “Novoye Vremia” magazine Maksym Butchenko published two books about conscience rift among Donbas residents that took place at the beginning of “Russian spring”.

“Artist of War” is a life tale about two brothers who turned out to be complete opposites of each other both on the outside and on the inside. They also happen to be on different sides of the separation line. One of the brothers leaves his native poor town for Kyiv, where he supports Ukrainian army. The other brother stays home trying to become an artist. Later he starts working at a mine and drinking. After 2014 he finally finds his calling - at war.

Second book “Three Hours with no War” tells about three fundamentally different characters that are based on real prototypes. The first came to Donbas from Russia, but fought on the side of Ukraine. Second character – is a Ukrainian who fights against Ukraine. The third character is just caught in the middle. They all meet at detention center camera cell and realize that they come from different side of frontline in a clash of opinion.

9) ‘Terrain under a plain”, Svitlana Yeremenko

It is a second book of the author who spent most of her professional life working in media (editor of information analytical magazine “Skhid” at Donetsk, the initiator of Donetsk Press Club organization), and continues working in the field as media expert.

Her short story collection goes into psychological depth of female soul, and at the same time it reveals how little people really know about Donbas, and how little they understand it.

10) “Contradictions”, Sergey Ivanov. Former prosecutor from Lugansk region is now a famous blogger and broadcaster. In 2014 left his native Lugansk for Kyiv.

The book’s name “Contradictions” reflects both the law enforcement system and attitude to life of the characters of the stories. It is 200 pages of amazing reading - classical realism-style and philosophic essays covering 2011-2014 period.

 “Contradictions” – are about the reality of the system, especially prosecutor’s office. The author shares his incites, seeks for the meaning of life and provides realistic description of everyday Ukraine.

11)  “People of Donbas. Life from scratch”, Veronika Mironova

The journalist Veronika Mironova took active part in Donetsk Euromaidan and organized pro-Ukrainian meetings.

Her book is about people. People who break stereotypes about resettlers. They do not lament, do not complain, and do not cry. They lost their homes, but they are willing to build a new Ukraine. 31 stories about people who managed to overcome life hardships and go one with their own lives, and also help others.

#Yours Donetsk Press Club